My life before making Jesus my personal Savior did not look much different than after. Maybe I didn’t argue with my brother and three sisters quite as much. I really don’t remember. I grew up in a home where hard work, and good, honest behavior was expected. I was in my early teens when I went to a crusade at Southern Wells. I went forward at the end of one of the services and made that important decision. The following Sunday my pastor at Six Mile Church, Rev. Max Andrew asked me to come to the front of the church and tell about my decision.
Six Mile was the church I started to attend when I was two years old. My parents bought a farm four miles south-east of Bluffton. My dad also got a teaching job at Rockcreek School. I attended Six Mile until just 17 years ago when Jim, Kevin, Kelly, and I became a part of the Bluffton Nazarene Church. Growing up in a small church had some great advantages. Everyone knew everyone – from the very oldest to the very youngest. Also there were lots of opportunities to serve. You didn’t have to be especially skilled or gifted to do a job. I played the piano for the kids and the adult Sunday school opening. They just had to sing the songs that I was able to play. I also started to teach Sunday school when I just out of college. I was the sub for an ill teacher and I haven’t stopped.
Making the Bluffton First Church of the Nazarene our church home is one of the best decisions our family has ever made. Seventeen years ago when Kelly had recovered from cancer we visited a lot of the churches who had prayed for her. We wanted everyone to see their walking-talking answer to prayer. After visiting this church we didn’t want to ever leave.
